Tree-prop.



N0. 66l,89|. Patented Nov. l3, I900. E. K. PARKER.

THE E P R 0P licatibn md Oct. 2

[N VE/V TOR $4 Anmeya ITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

EDWARD K. PARKER, or POMONA, CALIFORNIA.

TREE-PROP.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 661,891, dated November 13, 1900.

Application filed October 2, 1899. SerialNo. 732,363. tllo model.)

To otZZ whom it may concern.-

citizen of the United States, residing at P0- mona, in the county of Los Angeles and State of California, have invented a new and useful Tree-Prop, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to an improvement in tree-props, one object being to provide a simple and inexpensive device for the purpose indicated by the title, which will be effective in supporting the limbs of trees,and especially those which are-heavily laden with fruit.

A further object is to provide a device of the character named capable of quick and easy adjustment to difierent heights to accommodate itself to the position of the limb to be supported.

With these objects in view my invention consists of a main support and ablock or shoulder adj ustably secured thereto by means of a loop passing around said parts, said loop comprising a strip of metal the ends of which are permanently secured together and terminate inside of the loop, forming teeth which penetrate the main support at the point with which they come in contact, said loop being permanently secured to the block or shoulder by means of a staple inserted in the outer edge of the block around the loop which crosses the shoulder at this point.

The invention further consists in certain novel features of construction and combination of parts, which will be hereinafter described, and pointed out in the claim.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a view in perspective of my improved treeprop. Fig. 2 is a detached view of the shoulder, and Fig. 3 a similar view of the fastening device or loop.

A represents the main support. This may be made of a stick of wood of suitable dimensions for the purpose, it being adapted to rest upon the ground at its lower end and its length being sufficient to reach to or above the limb to be supported.

B indicates the shoulder. This is rounded out at its upper end at 1 to afford a rest for the limb to be supported. against an edge of the support, while the op- One edge 2 rests posite edge 3 preferably converges or inclines downwardly to edge 2, so that the shoulder has a general wedge shape.

0 is the fastening device, and it consists of. a piece of strong wire or a strip of metal, as the case may be, bent to embrace the sides of the support and shoulder and at its two ends terminating in inwardly-projecting teeth 4 4, soldered together, which engage the outer edge of the support and connect the parts with each other. Loop 0 is permanently connected with the outer surface 3 of the shoulder B by means of a staple or equivalent means 5.

From the shape of the shoulder it will be seen 7 that the shoulder has a tendency in consequence of its wedge shape to pull downward, so that the teeth 4: 4 are embedded deeper into the support as the weight upon the shoulder increases. In fact, the fastening device is necessarily held tighter and tighter with this increase of weight. At the same time the shoulder can. be easily removed by lifting it upwardly from the fastening device, if need be.

From the foregoing it is clear that the vertical' adjustment of the shoulder is a matter of great convenience, as it can be'raised to any point without eifort, and when dropped the teeth always embed themselves in the support and in that way lock the shoulder in the adjusted position. The parts are all simple and can be made at a trifling expense, so that the entire cost is slight, and at the same time any part could be renewed with a still slighter expense. At the same time in operation the prop is most efficient.

It may be mentioned that the fastening device is capable of being spread to a limited extent to engage supports of different sizes or thicknesses.

It is evident that slight changes might be made in the form and arrangement of the several parts described without departing from the spirit and scope of my invention, and hence I do not wish to limit myself to the exact construction herein set forth.

Having fully described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters said parts and comprisinga strip of metal the crosses the shoulder at this point whereby td ends of which are permanently secured topermanently connect the loop and shoulder gether and terminate inside of the loop to together. form teeth, said teeth adapted to penetrate EDWARD K. PARKER;

the part with which they come in contact, and Witnesses a staple inserted into the outer edge of the L D. PARKER, block or shoulder around the loop which W. A. BELL: 

